Pacers.com: Granger Named to 2010-12 USA Basketball Mens National Team

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Pacers.com: Granger Named to 2010-12 USA Basketball Mens National Team

Featuring nine members of the gold medalist 2008 U.S. Olympic Team and a total of 11 Olympians who have captured a combined 15 Olympic medals (nine gold medals and six bronze medals), USA Basketball revealed today 27 players who have been named to the 2010-2012 USA Men’s National Team program. The selections were announced by USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo.

Among the invitees is Indiana Pacers’ forward Danny Granger. “This is a great honor, not only to be selected with this group of players, but to have the opportunity to represent the United States,” said Granger. “I think any athlete in any sport relishes the chance to wear that uniform.”

“This is another important step in the reassembling of the USA National Team for the next three years of competitions that will include the FIBA World Championship in 2010, and if we qualify, the 2012 Olympics in London. Unlike 2006-08 when we were first starting the program, this time we have the benefit of including players who were members of the last national team, while also incorporating players who were involved in our pipeline the last couple of summers,” said Colangelo, who also served as Managing Director of the 2006-08 USA National Team.

“Special recognition and acknowledgement needs to go to the nine players returning from our 2008 Olympic Team. They have demonstrated that they are the heart and soul of our program and their commitment to continue to represent their country should not be overlooked.

“Just as was the case in 2006-08, the composition of the USA National Team will be fluid and by that I mean there could be additions to this group. We’ve learned to expect that you may have injuries; there may be special circumstances where players can’t perform, so you need flexibility with regards to the addition and deletion of players in the program.

“This is the group from which we will build our 2010 World Championship squad. We are taking the Worlds very seriously and know that this is the most important basketball competition in international basketball and it needs to be respected accordingly. We won gold at the 2008 Olympics because of the team we were able to assemble and build and we’ll all be hard at work to do that again, and finish on top in Turkey this summer.”

“I’m really excited about the players who were selected and who committed to be part of the 2010-12 USA National Team. I’m especially pleased that so many members of the 2006-08 team wanted and were able to return,” said USA and Duke University Hall of Fame head coach Mike Krzyzewski. “We know from our prior experiences that continuity, team work, and player versatility are critical parts to assembling a team that will be successful.

“With these 27 players we’ve got a great mix of players who are now experienced in the international game and some of the most promising and exciting players coming up though the USA Basketball program. I know I speak for the entire coaching staff when I say we’re excited about this group of players and we’re eager to begin our preparations for the 2010 World Championship.”

USA Basketball experience is plentiful among the selected 27 players with 24 possessing prior USA Basketball experience. Thirteen were members of the 2006-08 USA National Team, while 12 others were involved with the 2007 and 2008 USA Select Teams, and or the 2009 mini-camp.

Players owning prior USA Basketball playing experience include: Anthony, Aldridge, Billups, Boozer, Bosh, Bryant, Durant, Gay, Gordon, Howard, Iguodala, James, Jefferson, Lee, Lopez, Love, Mayo, Odom, Paul, Rose, Stoudemire, Wade, Westbrook and Williams.A smaller group of U.S. National Team members are expected to be selected to participate in the 2010 USA National Team’s opening training camp in July. Exact training dates and locations for the USA National Team training in 2010 will be announced at a later date.

Nine players were members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic gold medal team (Anthony, Boozer, Bosh, Bryant, Howard, James, Paul, Wade and Williams) and six members of the bronze medalist 2004 U.S. Olympic Team (Anthony, Boozer, James, Odom, Stoudemire and Wade) are listed on the national team roster.

Five members (Gordon, Lopez, Love, Mayo and Westbrook) were selected for the Sophomore team in the 2010 Rookie Challenge that will be held All-Star weekend.

By the conclusion of the 2010 World Championship (Sept. 12), the average age of the 27 players will be 25.48 years old. When the ’10 World Champ concludes, 24 of the 27 players will be 28-years-old or younger. The age breakdown is: Three will be 21, four will be 22 years old, two will be 24, five will be 25, four will be 26, three will be 27, three will be 28, one will be 30, one will be 32 and one will be 33.

When training camp opens in July, Billups will be the oldest team member at 33 years old (turning 34 on Sept. 25), while 21-year-old Russell Westbrook will be the youngest player.

Of the 28 players, 21 attended at least one year of college before entering the NBA, seven went directly from high school to the NBA.

2010 FIBA World Championship

The 2010 FIBA (International Basketball Federation) World Championship for Men will be held Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in Turkey. Twenty-four teams qualified to compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Men and those teams were divided into four preliminary round groups consisting of six teams each. The United States was drawn on Dec. 15 into preliminary round Group B, and is joined by Brazil, Croatia, Iran, Slovenia and Tunisia.

The U.S. will open the ‘10 Worlds on Aug. 28 against Croatia, a team it is has never faced in World Championship play, but a squad the USA is 3-0 versus in Olympic action. Facing its second European team in as many days, the Americans on Aug. 29 will meet Slovenia, a team it defeated 114-95 in 2006 World Championship preliminary play in their only prior World Championship meeting. FIBA Americas Zone champion Brazil will challenge the U.S. on Aug. 29. The USA-Brazil World Championship series stands at 6-5 in favor of the United States with the two teams’ last meeting in the 1998 World Championship. Following a day off on Aug. 31, the USA resumes play Sept. 1 against Asia Zone champ Iran, a team it has not faced previously in World Championship play, then closes out preliminary play with a contest versus Tunisia on Sept. 2, another team that the Americans have not met in World Championship action.

Held every four years and considered international basketball’s diamond event, the U.S. has had mixed results in World Championship play. Claiming the bronze medal with an 8-1 record in 2006 when the championship was held in Japan, the U.S. last claimed gold at the 1994 World Championship in Toronto, Canada, with a team comprised of NBA all-stars.

All told, the USA has won 10 medals in World Championship play - three gold medals (1954, 1986 and 1994), three silver medals (1950, 1959 and 1982) and four bronze medals (1974, 1990, 1998 and 2006). USA teams have compiled an overall 105-27 win-loss record in the World Championships for a 79.5 winning percentage.

2010-2012 USA Basketball Men’s National Team
Over the course of 2010-2012, USA Men’s National Teams will compete in the 2010 FIBA World Championship (Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in Turkey); if necessary the 2011 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament (dates and site TBD); and if the USA qualifies, the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (July 26-Aug. 12 in London, England).

The USA Basketball Men's National Team Program is again headed by Phoenix Suns and USA Basketball Chairman Jerry Colangelo, who served as Managing Director of the USA Men’s National Team for 2005-2008.Returning in 2010-2012 for a second run with the USA Basketball Men’s National Team is the entire USA Basketball Men’s National Team coaching staff from 2006-08. Led by head coach Krzyzewski, and assistantsJim Boeheim (Syracuse University), Mike D’Antoni (New York Knicks) and Nate McMillan (Portland Trail Blazers), the American men under the four heralded mentors won gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and compiled a three-year record of 36-1.

USA Basketball initiated its historic men’s national team program in 2005 and capped the 2005-2008 quad competitions with a magnificent gold medal run at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

During the three-year period between 2006 and 2008, USA Basketball's National Team program compiled a striking 36-1 overall win-loss record and just as importantly reestablished the USA team and its members as positive ambassadors for the United States and the sport.

The USA squad culminated the quadrennium by finishing 8-0 to reclaim the gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the USA’s first gold in a major international competition since 2000. The USA National Team also won gold at the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship with a 10-0 record to qualify the U.S. men for the 2008 Olympic Games. In the program’s first year, the U.S. captured the bronze medal with an 8-1 record at the 2006 FIBA World Championship in Japan.

Since first fielding a USA Basketball team of legendary NBA stars in 1992, USA Basketball National Teams comprised of NBA players have claimed gold medals in 10 of 13 major international basketball competitions, while compiling an impressive 100-7 overall record (.935 winning percentage) in those competitions and a record of 33-1 (.971 winning percentage) in exhibition games.

About USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions.

USA Basketball is governed by a 10-member Board of Directors, who are appointed and elected by active members. Colangelo serves as Chairman of USA Basketball for the 2009-2012 term. Serving since January 2001 as USA Basketball's CEO/Executive Director is Jim Tooley, who has been with USA Basketball since 1993.

USA Basketball is an organization made up of organizations. There are five member categories – Professional; Collegiate; Scholastic; Youth; and Associate. All told, 25 organizations are members of USA Basketball.

During the 2005-2008 quadrennium, 707 men and women players and 147 coaches participated in USA Basketball, including USA Basketball trials and USA Basketball teams. USA teams competed in 31 major international events from 2005-2008 and won medals an astounding 28 times, including gold or top finishes 22 times, silver four times and bronze medals twice. All told those teams compiled a sparkling 199-23 win-loss record for an 89.6 winning percentage.

For further information about USA Basketball, go to the official Web site of USA Basketball at www.usabasketball.com.

Re: Pacers.com: Granger Named to 2010-12 USA Basketball Mens National Team

A case can certainly be made for Horford, but Perkins is a better player than Okafor because he's much better at being what Okafor was initially advertised to be (a defensive stopper inside). He just might be the best low post defensive player in the league. It is a skill that's not quite as important in FIBA style ball, but still, the guy is a defensive stud.